Awake
by t3ars0fglass
Summary: She was awake, but nothing had really changed...had it?
1. Chapter 1

"Let me through!" Henry Mills shoved his way through the crowd, to the circular opening in the middle. He got down on his knees beside the broken form of his mother, Regina. There were burn marks on her face, blood dripped from her lips, and tears ran down her face. "Mommy?" He whispered quietly. He should have never said all of those awful things to her, should have never called her evil, should have told her he loved her. "Don't leave me."

A tender and bloodied hand rose from the ground and cupped the side of his face. Regina's thumb gently stroked his cheek before she began to talk, whisper.

"Oh, baby. I'll never leave you." Her sad smile was barely holding onto the edges of her face when Emma and Snow pushed through the crowd.

"Regina!" Emma shouted, getting on her knees beside her son. Of all the things that this woman had gone through, of all the things she had done, Emma never would have wished this on her. They were connected, the brunette and the blonde. Both had been through unimaginable pain, even though Emma's life seemed so much better in comparison. And yet, the two of them had seemed to make amends, they had become sort of friends over the past few weeks, and it hurt to see her like this. Her last breaths in vain of an attempt to be good. "We're going to get you out of this. Don't die on me, now!"

"Take care of him, Emma. You have it in you." Regina's attention turned to Snow White, the woman she had spent years hating, loathing, and aspiring the cruel death she would face. "Snow," she reached for her hand, and when Snow willingly let her take it, she smiled. "I don't know…how you've managed to do it, dear. You've…managed to stay…good." Her breathing was becoming labored. "Do you remember when you...helped me…in the forest?"

Snow nodded, tears leaking from her already saddened eyes.

"When you said that you thought…that there…was good in me. And then…you saw all of those…people." Regina's eyes darkened. "I…guess it's different…ordering the killing…and actually being…the one to do it. I had…hoped…that what you…said…was genuine…and it was. And seeing all of those people… it was the worst I have…ever felt. And I want you to know…that… I am sorry…and I forgive you. I just hope that one day…you can forgive me." With her words out in the air, in the open, Regina closed her eyes and let her head fall back. Snow's body collapsed over hers as silent sobs wracked her body.

* * *

Henry sat beside his mother's form on the hospital bed with somber eyes. He was fifteen, and though the years had passed, his mother remained in an un-aging state. Comatose, preserved by some sort of spell cast by Rumpelstiltkin. When she would awaken, she would begin aging, but until then, her life-line remained unchanging every day. She was still as he had remembered from all those years ago, though some scars had formed on her face from the burns and her face seemed set in a deep frown. He was almost positive she was having a nightmare, but there was no possible way he could wake her up from it.

"Henry?" Emma's faint whisper came from the doorway to the hospital. "Are you almost ready?"

"Yeah, just…let me say goodbye?" When Emma nodded, Henry turned back to Regina and took off the red backpack he had been wearing. "Hey, Mom. I know you probably can't hear me, but now would be a really great time for you to wake up. You see, Anton finished growing more beans, and we are going to the Enchanted Forest. I wanted to take you, but there's no medical help there, and you wouldn't survive. So," He reached into his back and pulled out a glowing bean. "I got you this. When…if…you wake up, use it and find us. I miss you, I need you back." He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Snow, she visits you every day. She won't admit it, but I think she forgave you a long time ago." He stifled a small laugh. "Charming's taken to the idea of having you as a stepmother, but he won't admit it either…"

"Henry, it's time to go." Emma yelled from down the hall.

"One minute!" He shouted right back. "I love you, Mom, and I really do hope to see you again someday." He placed the small bag with the magically preserved bean inside of it on her nightstand and laid a letter down next to it. After standing, he zipped up his red backpack and kissed her gently on the forehead before turning to leave the room. "Goodbye, Mommy."

* * *

Regina awoke with a start, she was sweating, the room was dark, and she had no clue where she was. It appeared as though she was in a hospital bed, but she couldn't be too sure. Quickly climbing out of the soft surrounding, she examined the room and found a small, brown bag. Next to it was an unopened letter in a script that said _MOM_, but she didn't recognize it. Her heart started beating rapidly as her hands clawed at the seams to open it.

_Dear Mom,_

_If you're reading this, it means you've finally woken up. When I wrote this, you had been asleep for four years, but don't worry about all of that aging crap, because I got Rumpelstiltskin to do me a little favor. You're still thirty five._

_After a long time, and a very hard decision, we have decided to go back to the Enchanted Forest. It's safer there, but we couldn't take you with us. I really wanted to, but there wasn't anything there that could have protected you, so the best option was to leave you in the care of those who stayed. Dr. Whale has been amazing. (I know you don't like him, but you should give him a chance. He feels really bad about what happened with Daniel) _

_I was hoping, that when you wake up, you would use the magic bean I left you to come and find us. We're going to rebuild the palace, and I know we would all love to see you. Even Snow. She forgave you, and you may or may not remember her talking to you, but she did. She visited every day. I'm pretty sure she even called you Mother a few times. (Don't tell her I told you that)_

_Please, Mom, find us. I miss you. A lot._

_I love you,_

_Henry_

Regina slowly wiped away the tears that had fallen down her rosy cheeks. She set the letter down and made her way over to the door. The doorknob creak when she turned it, and the door wasn't much better. She stepped into the hallway, still oblivious to the cords that were attached to her wrist. The bulky white machine in the corner of the hospital room beeped when her arm pulled it. Jerking back, she ripped the needles and cords from her arm and made her way down the long hallway.

"Hello?" She called. There was no answer. "Is anyone here?"

"Hello?" A nurse in a green jumper turned the corner. "Oh, my! Dr. Whale!"

**Idk, maybe just a one-shot? It depends…**


	2. Return

An older man, possibly in his mid-forties, strolled around the corner behind the nurse. His hair was greying slightly around the crown of his head, and his forehead was creased with wrinkles, but there was no doubt that it was Dr. Whale. Regina furrowed her brows in confusion, unaware to how long she had been asleep and still numb from the information that her son had left for the Enchanted Forest. She gripped the brown little bag with the bean even tighter.

Dr. Whale stepped forwards, his boots clinking on the tile flooring of the hospital hallway. "Regina, you're finally awake."

"Yes," her voice croaked slightly from being dry, and another nurse came down the hall with a glass of water for her. She chugged the entire glass with out breathing, and when she was finished, she plopped down on a brown bench that was pushed against the wall. Her short hospital gown gathered at her thighs as she struggled to pull it down.

"Go get her some scrubs from the workers closet." Whale ordered and sent the two nurses back down to the front. He turned to face Regina with a look of concern etched across his still striking features. "What do you remember?"

"I-I don't know." She paused and thought for a moment. "Tamara and Gregg, th-they electrocuted me." The statement was more of a question than it was a fact, because she truly was unsure of what had actually happened. "Did…Did Henry really leave?"

"Yes," the man nodded and took her hand in his. "Ten years ago." Regina's hand came to her mouth as she let out a heart broken sob. Her face scrunched together in pain and frustration until she remembered the bean in her hand. "He was about to turn sixteen."

"Am I good to go?" Regina abruptly asked, face turning dangerously calm. When Whale nodded and the nurses came back down the hall, she grabbed the scrubs and turned to her room to change. The clothes were a nice change from the over used hospital rags. It was soft on her skin, her young skin. She often checked herself in the mirror, just to make sure she wasn't aging. And she wasn't, it seemed Rumpelstiltskin's spell had worked just fine.

After reading over Henry's letter a couple dozen more times, Regina gripped the magical bean in her hand and marched out of the hospital. The nurses didn't stop her, they didn't want her to hurt them, but they looked over her with concern on their faces and ready to help if she relapsed. Of course, she didn't…which only made the nurses even more ecstatic to have her out of their presence. Regina made her way to the woods by the old wishing well that she hadn't seen in years. It was still standing, though it looked old and withered around the edges of the crumbled stone stepping rounds. She remembered how so much had happened around the well, and she could only assume that, because of the magical residue, this was where the rest of the town had used the beans to go through.

Without another thought, she threw the bean onto the muddy forest floor. Regina watched as a hole, swirling and sucking into another world grew larger and bigger. The wind picked up and swirled around her. It blew her hair in every direction around her face, which was laced with thick anticipation. One foot in front of the other, she thought. And then she leapt in to the hole in the ground.

* * *

It was strange, the portal was different from the other one's she had used, but it was nicer. The air was a deep, rich purple color, and it smelled—reeked—of magic. Too much, almost. It reminded her of when she was younger and her mother used to use it on her. She had never liked magic, not even when she herself had used it. It was always a nuisance. It corrupted her, killed who she was, her reputation, and she hated it. She despised it.

At the end of the magical tunnel, Regina saw a light. It wasn't part of the portal, she knew that, but she was reluctant to go in anyways. She would see Henry, the older, different, grown up Henry that she missed so much. She hoped there was still some part of him that she knew from before he got that book, but she highly doubted it. He had disappeared long ago.

Regina found herself falling faster through the portal until she hit the cold, hard ground. The muddy earth was cool on her cheek, and the air was wet and comforted her through the pain that shot through her body. Slowly, she picked herself off of the forest floor and shifted her eyes over her surroundings. Magic tingled at her fingers with as much power as it had when she was the Evil Queen, but she didn't relish in it. She didn't want it.

The familiar scent reached her nose, and she inhaled a deep breath through her nostrils. It delighted her when she figured out where she was; the scent of pine and hay was only that strong in one kingdom. Hers….or actually, it probably wasn't even hers anymore. Knowing Snow, she probably would have moved back into the Winter Palace as she favored it over the Summer Palace. It was her favorite place. Pushing herself off of one of the tall pine trees, Regina shrugged away the random bushes and twigs that hung off of the trees and got in her way.

She wasn't far from the clearing that led to the palace, but she went slowly. It scared her at what she might find. Would Henry be happy to see her, or would he reject her again? Would he still despise her? Probably, but she was too excited to see him to turn back and hide away again. Though, she did pause when rich, deep laughter filled the air.

"Hello?" She called, much like she had in the hospital. Regina was still thirsty, and he voice was still horse. The loud laughter stopped, along with the thumping hoof-beats of a horse. "Hello? Who's there?"

The brush in front of her moved aside and she was met face to face with a large black stallion. A young man, possibly early twenties, sat atop the horse and smiled down at her.

"Mom?"

**I decided to continue this!:) Yeah, I know cliffie, and I may do another story just because I feel like it. It's a good idea…I think….*hope* Well, if you want more, Review! *shrugs***


	3. I Can't Wait to See You Again

"H-Henry?" Regina stammered and struggled to catch her footing. The man, still unfamiliar to her, stood at just over six feet tall. His scraggly beard scratched against her cheek when she was unexpectedly pulled into a rather tight embrace. When he pulled away, she placed her hand on his cheek. "Is it really you?"

"Hi, Mom." He smiled cheekily. When it reached his eyes, they sparkled. His eyes. They were perhaps the only part of him she recognized, and it gave her some comfort. Regina couldn't take her eyes off of him. Henry had changed so much. From his height, to his more prominent facial features, to the sword he now carried on his hip. She smiled widely and pulled him in for another hug.

"Henry." She whispered as tears fell freely down her cheeks and landed on his velvety overcoat. She realized it had been Charming's from their time before the curse. "How have you been?"

"I've been good." When she grasped the fact that his voice had deepened, she gasped. He gave her an inquisitive look. "What?"

"You're a grown up." Regina cried and wiped away a few of the tears that trekked down her cheeks. "My baby's all grown up!"

"It's good to see you too." Henry smiled down at her. He hadn't noticed how he towered over her, but after he had gotten off of his horse, his looming shadow covered her. It had been far too long, and he had almost forgotten what she had looked like. It took everything inside of him to convince himself that it wasn't a dream, that the woman standing before him was really Regina Mills, his mother.

"How old are you?" She asked suddenly. _Time_, she remembered, _it's different here._ He looked to be about mid-twenties, but she couldn't be sure, and she needed to know.

"Twenty." He grinned. "How old are you?"

"Very funny, Henry." She laughed before doing the math in her head. "I should be around 78."

"Oh, you're so old." Henry scrunched his nose up in mocking distaste, and Regina gasped as though she was truly offended.

"I am going to pretend you did not just say that. Where is everybody?" She crossed her arms and put her weight on her right foot. She was still rather dizzy from her fall through the portal, and her arms and shoulders hurt from the rough landing.

"At the castle. Come on, I'm sure they will be pleased to see you." Henry motioned towards his horse. "Snow hasn't been the same since we left you. Emma either, and I don't know what to think of Charming, but I'm pretty sure he's been bored without you." He hopped up on his horse and stuck his hand out for Regina. She shook her head before raising her fingers to her lips and whistling loudly. The distant sound of hoof beats drew closer and closer until a brown mare stepped through the brush behind her.

"Hello, Rhiannon." She smiled and patted the horse's head happily. Henry looked at her bewildered, and before he could ask, she answered. "Magical whistle, dear. I hid a stable out here for her years ago. Couldn't bear to take her to the new world…she wouldn't have liked it there."

"How did you name her?" He asked from his large, black stallion.

"I had a horse when I was younger, Rocinante. This is her foal, and I wanted to name her closely to her mother, so Rhiannon was what I came up with." Regina out her full weight on Rhiannon's shoulder, as though she was hugging her. "I put an anti-aging spell on her, so that if I ever wished to come back, she would still be here."

"That's sweet, Mom." In truth, it really was. He had never seen her love something like that, aside from him and possibly Snow when she was younger. "Well, we best get going…if we want to make it there before supper."

"Yes, dear," Regina replied as she mounted her horse. "I believe you are right."

* * *

Emma walked through the halls of the palace quickly. She often brought her hands and rubbed them through her hair; a habit that she was desperately trying to break. As she paced, her faced creased more with worry lines. Her frown sunk deeper. "Mom!" She called as she stepped into Snow's study.

"Yes?" Her mother answered from her place at her work desk. Snow hadn't changed much, aside from the few laugh-lines that occupied her face. There were hardly any signs of aging.

"Have you seen Henry? He's been gone all day."

"No, I'm sorry." Snow shook her head. "But, Emma. You must realize. He is a grown man, now. He doesn't have to check in with you anymore."

"Yeah, I got that. Thanks for the reminder." Emma muttered bitterly. She didn't like the Enchanted Forest as much as the others, though she would never let them know that. It scared her, honestly, the fact that the ogres could return. She didn't have much faith in the place.

"He'll be home soon, I'm sure." Snow stood and rubbed her daughter's arm reassuringly.

"I hope so."

* * *

Regina and Henry strode through the field at a canter, both of them eager to return to their home. The older woman was nervous, of course. She had no idea how Snow and Charming, and especially Emma would react to her arrival, but she was eager to repair the torn relationships nonetheless. As the got over the final hill, and the castle came into view, Regina pulled her horse to a stop with Henry not too far behind.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I'm nervous." Regina turned around to face her son. "Do you think they'll get mad?"

"No, Snow misses you too much, and Emma, well, she misses you too…I think." Henry assured her. "And Charming will be…well…Charming. Y'know?" At this, Regina laughed quietly. It seemed that Henry hadn't exactly gotten better at reassuring people, but she couldn't be happier for that. There was at least a small part of him that hadn't changed.

"Okay," she nodded, and her horse began to gallop. Henry gripped the reigns of his steed and followed closely behind her.

Not too long after, mother and son reached the front gate. They were still as grand as she remembered them. "Come on, Mom." Henry urged from in front of her. He had already passed through the large gates and was nearing the stables. Regina pushed forward and steadily hopped off of Rhiannon. Henry handed the horses over to their stable hand and gabbed Regina's hand. "It's okay."

"I know, Henry…I'm just.."

"Scared?" He teased.

"Yeah." She allowed him to pull her forward until they were within the castle doors, and she stopped. It was all too surreal, everything about it. Nothing, absolutely nothing, had changed. Her memoires were still in their rightful places, some of the walls were still lined with the black décor she had added after Leopold died. Her portrait still hung over the beautifully centered fireplace, and the furniture she had so loved still occupied the room. Sure, there were a few add ons, like the family portrait of Snow and Emma, and Henry and Charming. Some of their swords hung from the walls, and a few trophies from what she assumed to be grandfather and grandson hunting trips were hung from the ceilings. There were new plates that sat atop the dining room table, but even those she recognized. All in al, everything looked—for the most part—just as she had left it.

She didn't realize that Henry had gripped her hand and gave her a gentle nudge until she stumbled forward into the main hall. She gave him a playful glare, to which he laughed and pushed her along.

"Henry?" The man turned at the familiar ring of Emma's voice.

"Hey, Ma." He grinned sheepishly.

"Where have you been? I've been so worried!" He rolled his eyes, annoyed. Ever since they had come to the forest, Emma had changed from the cool mother he had grown to love, into a worrisome one. He still loved her, but she had just become a little overbearing. He was getting sick of it.

"I'm fine. Promise." When Emma nodded, he moved out of the way to reveal the younger brunette woman hiding behind him. "I found someone though."

"Regina?" She was looking at the floor so that her face was covered by long tresses of brown hair. They hid her features like a curtain, and she couldn't be more thankful. Her hair reached her mid-back, and though it was tangled, she had to admit, she had missed it. "Regina, is it really you?" Emma whispered, astonished. She couldn't believe it, and yet, here she was. The woman she thought she would have surely never seen again.

"Yes." The woman answered and met her eyes. She gasped when Emma threw her arms around her and squeezed her tightly. Her body stiffened; she still wasn't used to such friendly contact. "It's good to see you too, Miss Swan."

"Actually, it's Mrs. Swan." Emma held up her hand and showed her the diamond band that hugged her finger and sparkled when the light hit it. Regina raised an eyebrow in her direction. "Neal."

"Oh, well…congratulations, Mrs. Swan." She nodded and stepped back to be closer to Henry. She was surprised to see that she still found so much safety and happiness with her son.

"You don't seem surprised." Emma accused.

"Well, I figured as much." Regina smiled. She still had it; the sarcastic and clipped tongue.

"Ah, yes. So, I'm assuming Henry told you too, then?" Emma narrowed her eyes at her son when he shot her a look. Obviously, he hadn't.

"Told me what?" She turned to Henry and looked him over. "What, Henry?"

"Well, Mom, I was going to tell you later, but…" He trailed off and shook his head at Emma.

"What?"

"Well…" He raised his hand and showed her the golden and that occupied his ring finger. Regina covered her mouth with her hand to stop the silent sobs that took over. "Thanks, Ma." He shot Emma another dirty look.

"I missed you getting married?" Regina cried sadly. Henry shook his head quickly.

"No! No no no no no. We're engaged." He gripped her hand.

"Well," the former Evil Queen calmed herself. "Who is she?"

"I believe you and her father are old friends." Henry smiled. "Paige…or Grace. The Mad Hatter's daughter."

"Congratulations, Henry." Regina threw her arms around his neck and gave him a tight hug. "You really are all grown up."

"Yeah…." He smiled down at her. "Come on, I'm sure Grandma will be really excited to see you." Regina followed Henry and Emma through the palace. Her heart beat faster with every turn, and it nearly jumped out of her chest when one of the guards would round the corner. She couldn't determine whether she was scared or excited, but she supposed it was a bit of both, even though she had never really been scared before.

When they turned down the long hall that led to Snow's childhood chamber, Regina finally spoke up. "She didn't take my chamber?"

"No, she thought it would be best if you had it when you returned." Henry whispered back. Regina let the corners of her lips turn up slightly at her stepdaughter's thoughtfulness. Her mind began to wander through their dark past, but was shocked out of remission when Emma knocked loudly on the door.

"Come in." She heard a woman call. The doorknob screeched when Emma turned it, and the door creaked as it swung open slowly. Regina's mind began to fog as she followed Henry and Emma into the bright room. She couldn't think straight; everything was blurry.

"We have a visitor." She heard someone say, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Snow. She didn't look different, not really. She had grown her hair out again, and it hung loosely just below her shoulders. She still wore the leather pants and riding jacket that Regina had gifted her on her seventeenth birthday, just before the two had a…falling out. Snow stood, causing the chair she had been sitting in to scratch against the stone flooring.

"Regina." She whispered, eyes wide with shock. It was then that Regina found her voice.

"Hello, Snow."

**Let's stop it there.:) There will be more…if you review. Suggestions and thoughts PLEASE! I love you all, and thank you for the follows and reviews. I will try to add the next chapter by maybe tonight…or tomorrow afternoon. Latest will be TUESDAY. Promise. Happy Mother's Day! I'm siked for tonight's episode…can't wait. Sad the season is going to end, but really excited to see what happens. I hope nothing happens to Regina! That would be so BAD! It seriously has been giving me writer's block no joke. And I still don't know if I'm going to continue Who Am I? so… I'm just going to stop rambling here. I hope you liked this chapter! There will be more, like I said, if you review and leave me suggestions or thoughts! Have a good day!**


	4. Surprise Surprise

Snow stood and stared at the woman in silence. She had to be dreaming….she never thought she would see her step-mother again. It was possible that she could have been dreaming. The sleeping curse had almost the same exact effect on her. Only, everything she dreamt was bad while she was under the curse. So, perhaps this was an enchantment, because seeing Regina again was anything but bad.

She had felt so bad after what she had done to Cora, to Regina, that she almost couldn't handle the pain. Her heart felt as though it was being torn in two, and she almost wished it was, that way it would stop faster. Her eyes roamed up and down Regina's form, looking for a sign that she wasn't dreaming. Slowly, she stepped forward, tears in her eyes, and touched the arm of the dark haired woman. When she felt the cloth rub underneath her hand, she jumped and stepped back.

"It really is you!" Snow raised a hand to her open mouth and let the tears stream down her face. "You're really here." Her voice was more of a whisper, but it broke Regina's heart anyways. She couldn't hold herself together anymore, and a wide smile broke out across her face.

"Snow…" Regina started, but she was abruptly cut off by the strong arm that wrapped around her shoulders and gave her a tight squeeze. Her body stiffened instantly at the contact, and Snow, having noticed this, pulled away and gave her an apologetic smile. She knew it would still be difficult for Regina to open up, yet, given time, she also knew that they could repair their relationship.

"We have much to discuss, Regina. I'm just glad you're here!" At this, the former queen smiled.

"Me too."

* * *

Henry grinned at the two, still conversing with each other in the middle of the vastly pink room. Snow had enjoyed the color when she was younger, and insisted that at least her sitting room be a little pink, which had turned into Charming painting the entire room a blatantly hideous flushed color. It radiated off of each wall caused the white, draped curtains to slightly blush with the hue.

Henry's thoughts were interrupted when a loud, booming voice erupted from the doorway. "Snow, we have updates on the—" Charming paused mid-sentence. His eyes widened and his mouth formed a perfect O. "Regina…"

The two women pulled away from each other, turning to take a quick look at the shocked prince. "Charming." Regina nodded, not yet sure if a smile would be appropriate. She had tried to kill him, after all.

"It's uh….it's good to see you." He gulped quickly and switched his roaming eyes over to Snow. "I—uh—I," He swallowed.

"Come, Regina." Snow interrupted, smiling widely with tears still welling in her eyes. "You must be hungry. And desperate for a bath." At Regina's excited nod, she laughed slightly. It was odd, and they still had much to work through and move passed, but she thought that maybe, a good night's rest and a nice meal would smooth over some of the rocky bumps they were sure to come by.

* * *

Regina sat in her bathtub, the one that had been especially designed for her when she ruled the land, and let the water rush over her back. She was sore, and her muscles often found it tiring to move even the slightest. Though, the hot water did feel good on her dirty skin, probably because the last time she had had an actual bath or shower, or one that she remembered, had been almost fourteen years ago. She ducked down underneath the water and rinsed the soap from her now long, tangled hair.

Sitting up and running her fingers through her hair, Regina unplugged the bathtub and stepped out. She reached for the white, cotton bath towel the servants had left out for her and wrapped it tightly around herself. Everything she had left was still where she remembered it, from the pants, to the shirts, to the over-extravagant dresses, and right down to the shoes she had missed so very much. After dressing herself, she sat at the vanity that occupied the long wall of the bathroom.

Her golden brush, she remembered that, too. Carefully, Regina dragged the brush through her hair once, and watched how the golden hair piece glowed. Her hair fell down, tangle-free and dry. "I knew I left you for a reason." She muttered with a smirk, staring down at the brush.

"Regina?" Snow called from the darkly decorated sitting room outside of her chambers.

"Come in." The woman called in response. Snow slid open the old door and walked into the queen's room. "I see you decided not to bring over the fashion from that world." Regina noted dully, looking down to her own outfit—black, leather riding pants and a brown vest hung tightly over a white, long sleeve dress shirt.

"No, there was too much…" Snow paused momentarily, entirely unsure of why she had come into the room in the first place. "Uh…"

"Let's go downstairs, yes?" Regina stood from her stool after clipping her hair back on one side. She led Snow from the vast bedroom and down the spiral stone staircase.

* * *

Both women had agreed to talk after dinner, as seeing that Regina was still starving. They ate in silence, with the exception of Henry, Paige and Regina. She had wanted to know more about the girl she was to call her daughter-in-law, and not to mention, she was greatly excited. "How is your father?" She asked after a long pause.

"He is well." She nodded, still uncomfortable in the presence of the Evil Queen. Henry reached over and put his hand on her shoulder to sooth her. She visibly relaxed under his touch, and Regina found that endearing and sweet. Tears welled in her eyes again as she smiled at the two. "He is actually planning on moving into the palace within the next three days." Regina choked on the water she was sipping from her glass.

"Oh, he is? That's nice." She feigned a fake smile, one that Henry knew all too well. Noticing his prying eyes, she went on. "So, when is the wedding?"

"It's in two weeks." Henry piped up and gave Paige's hand a firm squeeze.

**Meh, not such a good stopping place! I know. And before you say ANYTHING! I know I promised Tuesday, but I had this monster exam. Like a major freaking monster exam that could decide my future. And I thought that I would have been able to update Awake, but I just didn't have the time. Then, I got in this huge fight with my best friend, and we were both crying and it was just really an emotional week. I am SO sorry. For those of you who follow ABLAADS, I got to update that one because it was prewritten. :) School is basically out now. 3 MORE DAYS AND THEN IM HOME FREE! So I should be able to update more. And my birthday's coming up! **

**Again, I am so sorry for the delay, and here are my review replies!**

**SkullGauddess: I am very happy to hear that you are in love with the story! I hadn't originally planned on putting Henry and Grace together, I didn't even know I wrote it! I read it over after I posted the chapter and was like….hey, where the hell did that come from?! Hahaha! Thanks, and I really hope you like this chapter too!**

**Guest named NONNIE: I know, I tried soooo hard to get it up by Tuesday! Sorry! I hope this makes up for it? Possibly?**

**JCat30: Thank you. AND YES! MORE!**


	5. Gone

Jefferson had indeed moved in, however it had been two days sooner than was expected…much to Regina's dismay. In an attempt to keep her son happy, she tried to get along with the man who inhabited the chambers only two halls down from hers. He kept his distance, though, and when they did run into each other, the conversations were brief, happy, and…fake. They plastered smiles on their faces, spoke a measly two sentences, and went on their separate ways—no questions asked, no problems had.

It was when Regina decided she was ready to speak with Snow that the problems began. She had put it off for over a week and a half, and though she was anxious to repair their relationship, she needed time to process everything that had been going on. Henry was getting married—to Jefferson's daughter—and the wedding was in less than forty-eight hours, and Regina couldn't seem to bring herself together. She was a wreck from head to toe, emotionally and physically.

The strain from the coma had been putting stress on her body, but she hadn't told anyone because she knew that they would dote on her. She put the grogginess to the back of her mind so that she could focus on Henry and Snow. Regina couldn't quite determine what exactly she felt towards her step-daughter, but she knew it wasn't the want to kill her. She wanted to make everything alright between them…to start fresh…but without her emotions in check, there was no way that that would happen.

She had deliberately skipped breakfast that morning. The thought of seeing Jefferson sickened her, and she suddenly felt the need to put as much distance as possible between her and everyone in the castle. She had woken up early, locking her doors and sitting in her bed, content to spend the rest of the day staring at the black wall across from her. Servants and maids had come knocking, but they soon left when she made an attempt to neither answer nor unlock her door. No one of interest made any effort to speak to her, just the way she wanted it. Regina assumed the maids and servants had made it clear she didn't want to be bothered, yet there was still some part of her that yearned for the loneliness to end.

It had been boring a hole in her chest since Daniel had died and she had labeled Snow's mistake as a betrayal—she still thought of it as one. It hurt her, deeply, and while it was something she wasn't ready to let go, she was hoping to just move passed it all together. Of course, the pain would still be there, but it would hurt less.

"Regina, it's time for dinner." Regina blinked. Her eyes scanned the room, once towards the door, and then over to the windows. It was visibly dark outside. Had it really been that long? There was a loud knocking from the other side of the door, but the former queen made no move. She remained on her bed, legs stiff and still positioned under her, hands in her lap. The voice, she knew, belonged to Snow, but she still had no desire to leave the comfort of her bedroom. The knocking stopped, and the faint sound of feet shuffling down the stairs could be heard. For a moment, Regina considered getting off the bed to eat, but she remained where she was, satisfied with the sound of her growling stomach.

"Well, dearie. I never pictured you as one for hiding…but I guess I was wrong. Mhhhmhm." The familiar shrill of the closed-mouthed giggle sent shivers down Regina's spine. She turned her head to the corner of the room where he sat, lounging comfortably in her white loveseat.

"What do you want, Rumple?" She grimaced at the tone in her voice. It brought back too many unpleasant memories.

"Well, didn't you hear?" He drew out. His skin sparkled when the light from a candle hit it. "It's dinner time!"

"Not hungry." The reply was terse and cold, but she knew she got her point across when his eerie grin fell and his skin sank back to its uncolored and pale texture. He strode—no longer a limp in his step—over to the door. Regina obviously wasn't in a bantering mood as he had hoped. The large wooden door opened and closed to mark his exit.

When Regina was sure she was alone, she fell back onto the fluffed duvet. Her body sank into the comfort of her pillows as she sighed. She didn't know what to do, but that was only usual. Her life, it seemed, was coming apart at the seams. And no one was there to stitch it back together. Not even Henry…he was getting married, and just like everyone else, would soon be leaving her. There was nothing she could do to prevent it, either. It was inevitable, she knew that, but she had hoped to be there for everything. The dating, the decision, the question, they were all things she had put on her bucket list.

* * *

Rumple stalked back down to the dining room, his first time seeing Regina again obviously a failure. Everyone's eyes scanned his face in an attempt to find out some information, but his frown only deepened when he shrugged his shoulders. "Says she's not hungry."

"She hasn't seen you in fourteen years, and all she says is that she's not hungry?" Emma gaped, dumbfounded. She was confused, the two had been like father-daughter up until Storybrooke—or so she had heard—and she knew the wound of Cora's death had never fully healed. But fourteen years and only a few words? That didn't even seem like Regina. "What was she doing?"

Rumple shook his head. "Nothing…just…sitting on her bed and staring at the wall." Henry—having seen this side of his mother before—sighed. She was retreating, as she usually did, but this time at a faster pace. Henry's eyes moved to his grandfather. He had changed so much that it was even hard for him to recognize the man. Rumple was happier, now that he had Belle and Neal back; he visited often, even more so since Henry had gotten engaged. The young man new what it meant to his grandpa that he make up for what happened to Regina, and he knew how he must have felt to have been shut down so quickly. "Has anyone else talked to her today?" There was a chorus of "No's" and a few shakes of heads, but never a yes.

"We talked briefly yesterday." Snow sustained quietly. "She told me she decided she wanted to talk…but I guess she changed her mind." Henry frowned at her words and shook his head.

"No, Granma. She's just retreating…it's usual for her when she gets….emotional or can't figure out what to do. I'll go talk to her." After excusing himself, Henry climbed the stone staircase—two steps at a time—and knocked anxiously on his mother's door. "Mom, it's me." When Regina didn't respond, he opened the entrance and crept inside. She was lying limply in the middle of her bed, one arm dangling off the side, the other beside her face. For a moment, Henry's heart stopped…until he saw the slow rise and fall of her chest that assured him she was still alive. He carefully approached the side of the bed and pulled the jumbled blankets over her body before kissing her cheek and leaving.

When he came back downstairs, everyone, including Jefferson, stood in anticipation of his answer. Much like Rumple, he shrugged his shoulders and complied. "She's sleeping." Snow and Emma groaned alongside Rumpelstiltskin and Charming. "Don't worry guys. I'm sure she'll be back to normal tomorrow." The uncertainty in his voice was evident, if not blatantly obvious. The truth was, he was praying just as much as they were. The wedding was the day after next, and he didn't want her to miss anything. Sighing, Henry motioned for everyone to be seated, and dinner continued with no further interruptions.

* * *

When Regina awoke, it wasn't to the sound of bluebirds or cardinals. Her eyes napped open when there was a loud bang against her chamber entrance, and without hesitation, she pulled the covers back over her head and groaned in protest. It was still dark outside, she realized, for she was able to open her eyes painlessly, and her eyes adjusted quite effortlessly. She growled when someone struck again, the loud noise causing her head to throb. "If you don't stop that incessant knocking…" she grumbled in mock anger. At the sound of her footsteps, the banging ceased.

Regina twisted the handle gently as she wrapped her robe tightly around her body. She opened her mouth to scold when she caught sight of who was at the door. "Sorry, Regina. I was hoping we could talk before everyone woke up." At Snow's apologetic smile, Regina stepped aside and raised her arm to welcome her into the room. "We missed you at dinner last night."

"Hmm? Oh, yes, dear. I meant to come down but I fell asleep." She had fallen back on her bed and closed her eyes. Snow, however, didn't buy it.

"Rumple said he came and spoke with you." She prodded.

"Yes. It wasn't much of a conversation though." She sighed heavily and pushed herself up on her forearms so that she was leaning on the palms of her hands.

"Regina, are you…are you alright?"

"Yes." Regina paused momentarily. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just…you haven't seen Rumple in fourteen years, and he tries to talk to you and you turn him away after two seconds. I just don't understand. Did he say something or do something to upset you?" Snow went about the conversation warily. She didn't want to piss her step-mother off, but she also wanted to know everything. It was a difficult goal; one she realized may never happen.

"No. I just wasn't hungry." The lazy reply got under her skin.

"Regina! Talk to me, please. You were so happy, and then yesterday you completely shut yourself off. You didn't let anyone in! Not even the maids."

"I didn't want to talk to anybody, Snow." She deadpanned, her annoyance showing slightly when she spoke.

"Regina, you said you wanted to talk. So, let's talk. I have much to get off my chest…and I'm sure you do too." Snow quickly changed the subject. She hoped it would make Regina feel safer, but when the woman remained quiet, she spoke up. "Okay, I guess I'll go first. I am sorry for what happened with Daniel." Her body cringed when she saw Regina flinch, but she went on anyways. "I did not mean for that to happen, and I have regretted it every day since. I thought Cora was being…sincere, but she wasn't. She manipulated me, and I was too dumb to realize it until it was too late. And for that, I am deeply sorry."

Regina shifted uncomfortably. She had known Snow was sorry, but she had never expected her to be so open about it. She was quite surprised when she unexpectedly brought it up. It took a few moments for her to gather up the courage to say anything, but when she did, her mouth opened and closed several times. "I—I…I—I forgive you." She didn't miss the tears that swelled in Snow's eyes, nor was she surprised when she threw her arms around her in happiness. Her step-daughter pulled away and laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Okay, I guess it's my turn…" She waited for Snow's approval to go on. "I'm sorry for what happened to your father, dear. And for what Cora did to your mother and Johanna. I didn't know she would do that… And...I'm sorry for separating you and Charming and Emma…" She paused. "Well…not really the Emma part." Snow's eyes widened, and Regina laughed heartily. "Dear, we wouldn't have Henry."

"Oh. Right." Snow's frown turned into a bright smile as she encouraged the woman to go on.

"And I'm sorry for trying to take away your happy ending." Regina finished and released a breath she didn't know she was holding. Her face felt hot, and as she touched her cheek, she realized it was wet. She had been crying. The painful lump in her throat only grew until she could no longer contain it, and she let out a heartbroken sob. The memories of her life came flooding into her brain. The heartbreak, the agony, the hatred. She remembered everything she had tried to block out, only tenfold.

"What's wrong?"

"It just hurt, Snow. Everything."

"What do you mean?"

After composing herself, Regina quietly continued. "I had to raise a girl I blamed for murdering my True Love. That's all I ever was to Leopold, your babysitter. 'Regina, Snow needs this.' Or 'Regina, Snow's sick. Go take care of her.' I had to…act like everything was okay…when it wasn't. And it killed me."

Snow nodded solemnly. She didn't understand, but she could tell that Regina meant what she was saying even though she wouldn't go into depth. But there was still one thing she wanted—no, needed—to know. "Regina….did you…did you ever love me?"

"I think…I think I did. Maybe. Once." She replied honestly. "But it hurt…so much. And hating you was just…easy. It didn't hurt…" Her pause was enough to let her step-daughter know that she needed to stop. She looked ready to break, if she hadn't already.

"O—okay, Regina." Snow stopped her, trying to force back her own despair at the admission. "How about we continue the later?"

"That sounds good." Regina led Snow quickly out of her room, and once she was gone, she shut the door. Her body fell quickly against it, for it was too tired to move. The memories were too much, and she told herself she would never tell Snow of them. She let her walls break, and that was when the Queen came crumbling down.

* * *

Henry had woken up early, and, not wanting to wake Grace, quietly left his chambers and ventured down the spiral stairs. Along the way, he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps, and his movements froze. He quickly backtracked the way he had come so that he wouldn't be seen, but upon further thought, decided it best to return to his room.

Grace had rolled over on her side with the majority of the blankets, so he grabbed the extra comforter from the floor and curled up next to her and let his eyes flutter shut.

* * *

"Henry!" He heard. "Henry, get up. It's almost after midday." He groaned in protest when someone pulled the curtains open to let the light drape over the room. Naturally, he rolled over and pulled the pillow on top of his head, still catching the faint giggle from beside him. His mouth pulled into a loose smile. "You're such a kid!"

"Morning." He groaned as he sat up and placed a lingering kiss on Grace's cheek.

"Good morning…I have to go, but I'll see you for lunch, okay?"

"Where are you going?" He pouted playfully.

"Dress fitting." Grace told him before scurrying out of the room. He smiled when the door closed and stood to dress himself. After he finished pulled his vest over his scraggly hair, he barreled down into the kitchens.

Everybody was already seating, except for Grace and Regina. He sighed and looked off to where her chamber door entered the kitchen. It was closed tight and the lock was still shut from the other side. "She still hasn't come out?"

"I spoke with her this morning." Snow smiled. "We got through some things, but…I think she wants to be by herself for a little while." Henry nodded.

"We shall have some breakfast sent up to her, then." He took a plate off of the table and stuffed it with muffins and ham. When he was sure it was enough, he walked over to the door and stuck a finger through the crack to unlatch the lock. The door flew open with no further hesitation, so Henry eagerly sauntered into the room. "Mom!" He looked around. "Mom?"

* * *

The others were smiling and laughing happily as they listened to every detail of Snow's story when Regina's chamber doors swung open and Henry burst into the room. Worry stained his face with an unpleasant color.

"Henry," Emma chided. "What's going on." The table had all stood up and were waiting.

"She's gone."

**Duh Nuh Nuhhhhhh. Review:)**


	6. Over the Hillside

Regina climbed the hilltop, her feet bare, heart pounding; her head ached from the hours without water, but she didn't mind it as much as the feeling that she wanted to get away. Rhiannon followed behind her, and the sound of her hoofs clanking against the stony hillside echoed through the night air without so much as a single interruption. The moon was full, though the stars hadn't appeared in the dark sky yet, so there was hardly any light to guide her. Regina didn't mind though. Her entire life had been in the dark, so what was one more night, right?

Her nightgown blew behind her with the winds that rolled in from the east and wafted over the long grasses which beat against her legs softly. Her hair drew back along with the gusts, sometimes covering her eyes, sometimes going the other way, but she enjoyed the coolness it brought her; it was soothing. She drew in a deep breath and watched as her warm sigh swirled around in the cold air. Her feet padded against the icy stone in quick patterns, and it wasn't long until she had reached the top of the knoll.

Off to her right was a large valley that cascaded down the side of the hummock, and off to her right was a large, green meadow. Behind the field—just off to the tree line—sat a small, wooden stable that stood out in contrast between the darkness of the night. It was beautiful. The rooftop was a deep, rich burgundy that juxtaposed greatly with the deep, brown mahogany of the walls. There were windows that lined each stable setting, and on the very front was a door. Two wooden beams, painted white, crisscrossed across the front and split in two right down the middle to mark the entrance to the shelter. Regina remembered this place as though it were just yesterday. She smiled happily before throwing a leg over the back of her horse and guiding it through the tall grasses. Rhiannon neighed excitedly as she picked up to a canter and marched her way up to the stable door, allowing her rider to dismount to open the door.

It swung open with a loud creak, and the fire holsters that hung up on the walls every two feet lit with a bright, orange glow. The space, having been illuminated, was as wonderful as the former queen remembered, and she allowed herself a moment of silence to picture the days she would open the door and sit for hours on the hay-scattered floor. She wandered throughout the stable; a hand lifted to trace the wall off to her right. "You remember how we used to stay here almost the whole day?" She asked the horse that followed steadily behind her. At its sad whine, she laughed. "Yeah, I miss it too…"

She opened the gate at the end of the walkway and sauntered in before sitting with her back against the wall. Rhiannon folded her legs underneath her, inviting Regina over beside her. The brunette smiled and scooted over to lay against the mare's neck. Before long, her eyes had closed as she slept.

* * *

Henry paced the kitchen hurriedly as he drew a hand through his short, brown hair. Grace stood beside him, offering her condolences with the rest of the Charming family. Jefferson had left the room in a hurry after he had heard of her disappearance, and Rumple not long after. Snow stood beside Charming, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and his arms wrapped tightly around her, a hand drawing through her now long, black hair. Emma and Neal were seated on the loveseat in the corner of the room as they watched the fiasco unravel before them.

"I just don't understand!" Henry shouted after a moment. "She just got back! Why would she leave so suddenly?"

"Henry," Snow piped up. "She's been through a lot in the past couple of days…maybe she just needed to be alone."

"She's always alone."

"She likes being alone." She countered and Henry grunted in irritation.

"We've barely been able to spend any time together….why would she just leave me again? She promised me that she would never leave me!" He paused to control the tears that threatened to escape his eyes. "She promised."

"Henry," Emma pleaded, drawing away from Neal. "She didn't leave you. If there's one thing I know about Regina, it's that she would never leave you…just give her time."

Henry nodded before he glanced up at the window. Sunlight seeped through the stained glass windows and poured over the room in a hazy, golden liquid. It brought with it, the promise of a new day, but perhaps it also brought the sorrow of loss. The wedding, he realized, was only a few hours away, and he couldn't miss it. It couldn't be rescheduled, for the whole kingdom was to be attending the royal affair. He sighed and quickly left the room, kissing Grace quickly on the lips.

After a very long bath, Henry dressed quickly in his regal garbs. They had been made especially for weddings of the imperial family, and though they were beautiful, they were far from comfortable. The robes were stiff and offered hardly any movement. They scratched at the back of his neck, and his crown itched behind his ears. It wasn't pleasant, but over the years he had learned how to fake a smile.

"Sir," he was interrupted. "You must be in the court within the hour. The wedding starts soon."

"Thank you, Ferguson." He nodded and tightened the laces on his boots, holstered his sword, and adjusted his crown before making his way down the stairs.

All of the noble families, King George, Queen Maleficent, Queen Ella and King Charming II, King Eric and Queen Ariel, and all of their children, everyone had arrived. Everyone except Regina. He frowned until he felt a soft hand intertwine in his, and his head immediately snapped to the side. Grace stood beside him, smiling and dressed in a beautiful white gown that flowed out behind her in a long train. He grinned back down at her then looked around the room. Henry smiled at Emma and Snow, gave a firm nod to Charming and Neal, and smirked over to Belle before he realized his grandfather hadn't shown. "Where's Rumple?"

"I haven't seen him since this morning." Belle mused, but she knew he went looking for Regina. "He said he would be back before the wedding, though, so don't worry."

"Okay." Henry answered, still oblivious. "I hope he's alright…nobody's heard from my mom?"

There was a chorus of "No's" and Henry only frowned deeper before realizing that he should be happy. He faked a smile and picked up Grace's hand. Once everyone was ready, the heralds blew their horns loudly to announce their entrance. Henry smiled down at Grace and led the group out of the hall.

They were greeted by the loud, thunderous applause and cheers of the townspeople from all over. The crowd was enormous, and Snow insisted that it had been larger than the one that gathered for her own wedding. The faces of the children in the front were visible, and their excited parents behind them cheered the couple on. Henry smiled and nodded in the direction of a few of the villagers.

As they approached the alters, nearly two hundred yard later, the royal families took their seats in the large, padded thrones that lined the very front row. Henry raised his arm out, and Grace placed her hand over his as he led her up the few stairs to the preacher.

* * *

"Somehow I knew you would be here." Rumple stated loudly from his place beside her. Regina jolted awake, her hand flying to her chest in shock. "You know, you are about to miss your own son's wedding."

She hadn't yet realized what was going on, but when she did, her mouth pulled into a tight frown as she muttered a few choice profanities under her breath. "I can't miss this…I've missed so much already." She cried. She wasn't dressed, she wasn't ready, she wasn't even near the event.

"Why did you leave?" Rumple asked suddenly. Regina looked up at him, confusion evident in her tearful eyes.

"I just needed to get away…." She mumbled. "Snow and I…we talked…but I…It just hurts. It hurts to love her, Rumple, and I don't know what to do. I contemplated, after she left, actually ripping my heart out, it hurt so bad…." He grimaced at her mention of Cora. "But I decided that leaving would be better."

Rumple nodded.

"I just...I forgave her before they left. I know I forgave her, and I know she knows that. But I just don't know how to make it stop hurting."

"Being around her more won't make it hurt, Regina." He told her, and for the first time, she realized how much of a father figure he had actually been. "It does get easier, trust me."

"How do you know?"

"Killian Jones." He said simply, and Regina laughed loudly.

"You are friends with the Captain? You and him?" She asked, but she soon realized, at his serious glare, that he was not joking. "Neal…"

"You would be right, but we need to continue to later. I refuse to miss my only grandson's wedding." With a wave of his hand, Regina's nightgown had been replaced with a long, light blue dress. It clung to her tightly until it reached her mid-thigh, and then it flowed out into a long, delicate train. Her hair was half up- half down in an intricate braid before it fell out in loose curls. Her makeup was finished, and topped off with red, satin lip stick. She looked quizzically up to Rumple who merely shrugged. "I don't choose the outfits. The magic does."

"Right." She nodded, and they both disappeared in a puff of red and purple smoke.

**I'm only ending it here because I don't know how I am going to make the townspeople feel about Regina's appearance. Because, remember, she hasn't run into them yet. So I should be able to update maybe tomorrow. Hopefully. I will try. Enjoy, Review, and I will update soon:)**


	7. The Start of a Beautiful Friendship

Henry waited anxiously at the alter as the priest said his words. His eyes kept darting back and forth between the crowd and his grandfather's seat, and he hoped that it, along with his mother's, wouldn't remain empty for much longer. Although the wedding was just starting, and he expected it to be longer than normal for he was a prince, he hadn't wanted his adoptive mother to miss any of it. He knew that Regina knew it was important to him, and he knew that she wouldn't miss it for the world, so when the Royal Harold blew his trumpet, and the door began to open, his heart fluttered with joy.

"Announcing Her Majesty, Queen Regina." There was a chorus of gasps as she walked in. Men and women shouted in protest, children coward away from the former wicked woman, and their parents shielded them, even though they knew that if she were to attack, that there would be nothing that they could do.

Regina ignored the profanities that had been thrown her way, she ignored the death threats and bounties being placed on her head. But the brunette wanted to retort, she wanted to hurt them for their insults and behavior at her son's wedding, but she restrained herself as she walked, one foot in front of the other, down the narrow aisle.

"Sorry I'm late." She excused with sincerity that could only have been directed at Henry. Regina looked up at her son, hoping that her eyes would tell him that she truly was sorry for being late, for ruining his wedding, but she was surprised to see that he had plastered a smile to his face and was staring at her with unbelievable joy that reminded her of when he was little.

Finally, after crossing through the thick threshold of townspeople, Regina made it to her seat beside Snow, who was still chuckling with her husband. She eyed them suspiciously. "What?"

"You said that exact same thing at our wedding…" Regina glared at the two, and Snow hurriedly tried to abate the stern look. "It's just nice to see you saying something sincerely for a change." When the glare only darkened, Snow stopped herself. "I'm just going to shut my mouth….handkerchief?"

Regina smirked, accepting the tissue gratefully until she realized something was missing. "Where's Rumple?"

"In his seat, why?" Snow cocked her head to the side as she watched Regina's frown deepen when she saw the imp grinning over at her.

"That smug, little bastard. He told me he would meet me at the doors." She whispered to her step daughter, who attempted to hold in her laughter with her hand over her mouth. "Shush. They're starting." Regina growled, hitting Snow with the cloth napkin.

It was strange to her, almost foreign, how in less than a day it became so easy to speak with her. She thought it weird to actually enjoy talking with Snow, cracking jokes and laughing together. It reminded her of when she had loved her stepdaughter as a child, and after their talk, it stopped hurting as much. It became less painful to sit next to her, and the desire to kill her had disappeared entirely.

It wasn't until she heard Henry announce his vows that she truly concentrated on the wedding. "I do." He smiled down at Grace, their hands laced together and held in front of them.

Her eyes had been focused on Henry for so long that Regina didn't even realize she had started to cry. She raised the handkerchief to her eyes and wiped away the warm tears that spilled from them. Her hand flew to her mouth to silence a sob, and it remained there for the remainder of the ceremony.

"You may now kiss the bride." When Henry kissed Grace, the formerly evil woman finally let the dam break and began to openly sob from her place beside Snow. She didn't even protest when the woman gripped her hand tightly within her own and gave it a gentle squeeze; it only furthered her happy cries.

* * *

Eventually, the townspeople fled from the venue, back to their everyday lives in their small villages. Snow and Charming retired to bed, and Rumple and Belle took a spare room in the castle. Henry had gone off with Grace, and the young man's father had disappeared after the wedding, so Regina was left talking with Emma in the kitchen.

"So, what happened? Up in the tower with Greg and Tamara?" Emma asked after a moment of silence.

"I don't really remember, Emma…I-I think it had something to do with electricity, but the last thing I remember is talking with you, Snow, and Henry before I blacked out. Other than that, the entire day is foggy." The now younger woman looked p at the blonde, whose mouth hung open in a loose smile. "What?"

"You called me Emma." She smiled. "All those years of Miss Swan this, and Miss Swan that, and all it took was a simple conversation for you to call me Emma…good to know." Regina coughed playfully.

"Ahem, that would be Mrs. Swan." Her laughter rippled through the once silent room, and she placed her hands on the counter. "You hungry?"

"I'm starved, why?" Emma eyed the woman suspiciously, eyes narrowing and eyebrows raising. When Regina stepped beside a cupboard and opened it, only to reached behind it and open another door, she gasped. "Woah! Is that a hidden compartment?"

"No, it's a hidden freezer…or the equivalent of one. I had it made when I was married to Leopold. My advisor never let me eat anything sweet, said I would put on unwanted weight. So, eventually…after my lessons with," she paused as she reached even further into the cabinet. "Rumple, I cut out the back of this cabinet…and enchanted the space behind it to act as a cold room. The enchantment keeps all of the foods fresh, so I never had to worry about anything I ate spoiling."

"That's pretty awesome, Regina. Never took you as one for breaking the rules." Emma chuckled as the brunette pulled out platters of chocolates and frozen delicacies.

"Oh, there's a lot you mistake about me, Emma." Regina smiled.

"You did it again." The two of them laughed once more before they started to inhale the deserts that littered the countertops.

**Yay, they're friends! And to the guest who reviewed, I hope the "Sorry I'm late" was to your liking. AH! That was fun to write….and surprisingly easy, which gives me no reason to have waited this long to update, and no excuse for it being so short. I will update soon, I swear. Until then, Read, Enjoy, and Review:)**


	8. What a Welcome

"Emma! Regina!" Snow yelled from the stairs that led down to the kitchen. "What on earth?" Emma sat up abruptly, stumbling over her words with the fogginess that came with morning. Snow, eyes wide, chuckled at her appearance. "You…you have a little something right…there" She pointed to Emma's face, covered in chocolate coated fruit and icing.

When the younger blonde repeatedly attempted to wipe her face clean, without success, her mother huffed and pointed to the stairs, a hand flying up to cup her forehead miserably. "Just…just go get ready, Emma. We're going to be late for the reception." Emma laughed, licked the food off of her mouth, and bounced up the steps.

When Snow was positive she was gone, she took a step in Regina's direction. Her hand came to rest on her stepmother's shoulder so that she could shake her awake, but she was stopped by the sound of whimpering. "Regina?" She whispered softly. "Regina, wake up, it's just a nightmare." Snow shook her again before sighing at her failure. "Regina!"

The long haired brunette sat bolt upright, her eyes widened in fear, until she realized it was only a nightmare. She turned her eyes to Snow, who stood tall with a mocking smile on her face. "You were late to his wedding, do you really want to miss the reception?"

Regina huffed indignantly and headed off to her chambers, leaving a chuckling Snow behind.

* * *

David walked down into the kitchen to find Snow handling multiple platters covered in chocolate. "What is all of this?"

Snow turned around quickly, obviously startled by her husband's entrance, and in the process, managed to drop the platters on the floor. "Crap." She bent over to pick up the plates. "Regina and Emma went on a sugar run last night. I found both of them asleep in the kitchen."

"Wow…sounds like fun." He smiled and kissed her on the lips.

"Mhmm. I'm sure it was." Snow shoved the plates into his hands as she pulled away. "But I'm sure you'll have even more fun cleaning it all up…won't you?" She smiled and scurried away before her husband could reply.

* * *

The loud knock that resounded through her chambers drew Regina out of her thoughts as she tried to pick out a dress for the reception. "Come in." She called back.

The door creaked open in response, and it wasn't until she saw his face that she truly smiled. "Hi, Mom."

"Hi, Sweetie." With a wave of her hand, his mother motioned for him to come closer. "I need help picking out an outfit for tonight. I don't have anything….cheery."

"Well…just wear…just wear this." Henry pulled out a long, red gown. "I'm sure it'll look nice."

"Henry…I wore that when I was…when I was the Evil Queen. I really don't think—"

"Mom, it's fine as long as you're not the Evil Queen. It will look fine. Trust me." With that the young man smiled at her blank expression and quietly fled the room after muttering a quick "I love you."

Regina took the dress out of the closet to inspect it, but she quickly decided against it and shoved it back into her large closet. Her hand came to trail along the thick fabrics until she found a gap. Without thinking, she reached in and pulled out the garment. Smiling to herself when she saw it, Regina tossed it across the room and on to the bed.

* * *

It took Regina a little over two hours to get herself dressed and ready, but since the reception was to be held in the castle ballroom, she didn't have to hurry like she used to. Without a second glance, she threw on the pair of black, stiletto heels that sat comfortably by the door; the straps hook around her ankle with a golden buckle.

When Regina stepped out of the room, two of the palace guards were waiting to take her down to the ballroom. But she refused to allow them to escort her, and, eventually, the two armor-clad men gave up and returned to the guard's quarters.

She smirked to herself, proud that she still had at least some sort of control in palace. When Regina made her way to the grand doors of the royal ballroom, she stopped; her heart beat furiously through her chest, as though it could have ripped out. She turned to the mirror that hung on the wall to look at herself once more. One of her hands came up to touch her cheek, just to make sure that it was really her standing in the mirror, not the Evil Queen she so greatly regretted.

Once satisfied, Regina made her way back to the doors slowly, and the Harold announced her arrival as the doors swung open. Every face in the room spun around to look at the woman who stood in the door, dressed in a long, black gown that resembled the red one Henry had pulled out of her closet. The back cut low in ripples that clung down to the middle of her back, and it clung tightly down her figure until it flowed out onto the floor in pools of ebony that trailed behind her as she walked through the room. It was a dress she hadn't worn often during her reign, but it was still embedded with the aura of the Evil Queen—though she had managed to lighten it up a little with the white, pearl shoulder chain that hung down her back and attached to her wrists, and the matching waist piece that hung down her legs—and the look gave the aristocrats that halted in their movements a slight feeling of uneasiness. Her hair was swept to the side, over her right shoulder in long, curly, black tresses, the front pinned back with a silver hair piece. Her eyes had been darkened on the lids, and her lips were painted in red that resembled the color of blood.

She smiled, a kind and sincere smile that seemed to lighten the gown, and swept the room back into action along with it.

Snow was the first to approach her, although she was somewhat nervous when it came to the dark outfit she wore. When Regina looked over to her and her eyes brightened, Snow's steps became a little faster, carried a little more hop, and she herself wore a matching smile. "Regina," she breathed. "You look…"

"Thank you, dear. You as well." Regina smiled. "I didn't have anything brighter to wear…but I don't think it's too dark, is it?" Snow shook her head quickly. "Good. Where is Henry?"

Her step daughter pointed to the large table where the two newlyweds sat, surrounded by guests bringing gifts. After thinking it over for a moment, she decided to wait until he wasn't preoccupied. Snow caught the unsure look in her eyes as she watched her stare longingly at the man's table. "He loves you, you know."

"I know…I just wish my mistakes hadn't…weighted so heavily on him. I…I still don't know where I stand with him, and I don't know what I need to do, I don't know how to make it up to him." She sighed, holding back the tears that had started coming around more often.

"I think you returning was enough, Regina. He forgave you years ago…" Snow paused, uncertain about how to go about the next part. "As did I."

The formerly evil woman's head snapped up. "You did?" When her stepdaughter nodded, she reached down and grabbed her hand. "Me too, dear."

"Does this mean I can call you Mother again?" The question caused Regina to laugh, harder than she had in a long time, until it became hard to breathe and her voice ran silent.

"I suppose so, but wouldn't it be a little strange? You are older than me now, you know." The 'older' woman nudged her in the arm with a laugh.

"Yeah, sure. Nice try, though." Snow smiled.

"Well, it was worth a shot." Regina shrugged, but her attention was inadvertently caught by the emptiness around Henry's table. Snow pushed her forward, and she turned her head around to silently thank the woman.

Her steps became more confident—as she mentally talked herself up—and had turned into long, graceful strides through the crowd. Her heels clicked loudly against the marble flooring, but the sound was lost in the joyous laughter and music that accompanied the hundreds of dancing people around her. All of them seemed to disappear, however, as she walked closer to her little boy.

But someone stepped in her way.

Abruptly stopping, Regina craned her neck up to look at the person, and she furrowed her brows when she saw his face. He was a total stranger.

He grabbed her arm before she had any time to react and pulled her from the dance floor. His grip was tight, and would surely leave bruises. His other hand came up to wrap around her neck even tighter, until she began seeing black spots. When she tried to move backwards, her head hit a stone pillar, leaving it throbbing in pain, and she was positive she was bleeding. The sound of laughter and music, heels clicking on the floor and wine glasses clinking in the air still reached her ears, as well as the old king's voice. "So, the Evil Queen's back? I don't think so."

"What do you…want?" She gasped as his grip tightened around her throat. Images of Daniel flew through her mind and brought back the painful stabs at her heart.

"Not me…King George." He seethed as he watched her gasping for air at an arm's length away.

* * *

Henry turned his when he heard the loud shrill of a woman, and he shoved his chair back, standing quickly to see what was happening. The people in the crowd moved out of his line of sight, and that was when he saw her. "Mom!" He jumped over the table that blocked his way, followed quickly by James off to his right, and Emma, Snow, Neal, and Rumple off to his left. "Stop it! You're hurting her!" He shouted to the man, who seemed not to care about his pleas.

Regina flicked her eyes over to where she heard her son's voice, but her vision was clouding from the lack of oxygen. She sucked in a short breath, enough so that she could speak to him, but it was Snow who stepped into her sight, sword drawn. "Snow, no." The raven haired woman took another step forward , only to be thrown back by magic. She stared at Regina, eyes wide with shock and hurt, until she saw that it wasn't her stepmother's hand that had been raised. She hissed at the sudden pain in her forehead. "Snow!"

Regina's eyes glowed purple with the surge of anger that boiled her blood and rattled the wall she had put up to hold the magic back. Her hands crackled and sent out sparks along with the smoke that fumed from her fingertips. She thrust her arms out in front of her, sending the man flying back into the pillar behind him. She landed gracefully on her feet; a wicked smile stretched on her blood red lips, and she sauntered over to the man who sat gasping for breath on the floor.

She knelt down in front of him and spoke coldly, deeply. "You can tell George to come and kill me himself, and better luck next time." Her palm spread out as a ball of fire grew within it.

"Mom!" The sudden cry broke her from her state of mind, and the fire disappeared into the air as she stood up, looking down at her hands. She used magic, she failed…she could have killed the man. Her head slowly turned upward to face her son.

"Henry..I-I…I'm so—" Regina started, but was cut off by a searing pain in her side. She looked down, surprised to see the handle of a knife sticking out of her waist. The man behind her stood and ran out, but not before James could call the guards to run after him.

"Regina," Emma called, wrapping an arm under her shoulders and helping her to the nearest seat. The brunette took in shallow breaths as she grabbed the blade from her side and pulled it out, but her side was immediately replaced by her hand. It glowing purple, and she hissed in pain as the magic healed her injury.

"I'm fine." She stated flatly when Snow hurried to her side. "I said I'm fine! Stop doting on me."

Emma shook her head to clear her mind, but it didn't help. Her thoughts moved too fast for her to comprehend, and only ended up a jumbled mess in her mind. She had witnessed, for the first time, the real Evil Queen, not Madame Mayor, or the controlling mother, or the woman she had gotten used to since she had arrived back in the Enchanted Forest, an she didn't know what to make of the experience, except that she was frightened and nervous. "So, I'm guessing that was…" she trailed off.

"Yeah…" Regina looked up at Henry with pleading eyes. "Henry, I'm so sorry. I-I used magic again…I…Henry I'm so sorry."

The young man knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Mom, it's alright. It was self-defense…I'm not mad."

"You're not?" She asked when her heart skipped a beat. Henry laughed to assure her, and his laughter was followed by everyone else's. Regina smiled and turned her eyes to Grace. "You know, if you hurt my son, I'll destroy you. If it's the last thing I do." Her tone took on the mock of the Evil Queen, but Henry could tell she was poking fun, even if he saw the truth behind her words as well.

Grace looked nervously up to Snow, who wore the same expression as her new mother-in-law. She pointed a finger at Regina. "Take it from me, she definitely means it."

Emma stepped up beside grace and patted her gently on the back. "Welcome to the family, Grace."

Henry laughed, and grabbed Grace's hand. "Come on, we're going to be late! Bye guys!" He shouted over his shoulder as he dragged his new wife from the building. There were hoots and hollers all around, a few people even started throwing grains of rice.

Regina sighed and sat back in her seat so that she had to look up to see everyone's faces. Rumple and Belle had long since disappeared, and the ballroom had cleared out immediately after the incident. "Well, Charmings," she smiled. "I guess it's just you and me now."

"Damn," David muttered with a groan.

**YAY! LONGER CHAPTER! I had soooo much fun writing this one! I really hope you like it! And thank you for all of the wonderful reviews and suggestions! Give me more! They really help! I loved all of the suggestions you guys gave, so I mashed them all up and here you go! What do you think? Eh? Eh? Read, Review, Enjoy, and I will update as soon as possible….it will probably be sooner if you leave me more of those wonderful suggestions!**


	9. Gavin

Henry had gone away with Grace to god knows where, set in his carriage and content to carry on with his new wife. He had received many congratulations, some from villagers, some from nobles he had never even met. No one had really taken to missing him, either…well, everyone except Regina.

After the encounter with one of George's men, the former Evil Queen locked herself away in her room; not even Snow had gotten past the door when she had screamed at her to leave. She was used to her screams after nearly forty years of her fleeing for her life under Regina's rule, but that did nothing to subside the nervousness that accompanied the familiar attitude.

It was obvious Regina, if not to anyone else; she was slipping, and fast. From previous experience, she had learned it hard to walk the road of redemption, and it wasn't something she found herself ever wanting to do again, but the gravel beneath her feet had slowly begun to shift, and the brunette noticed that the road was turning more into a cliff that she was on the edge of. Her moral consciousness teetered back and forth between right and wrong; there were times when she found herself so angry and hurt that almost anything seemed legal. The desire to kill the oaf-like king grew inside of her until Regina simply couldn't take it.

"Snow!" She rasped from her place on the bed, legs tucked underneath her as she fidgeted with a loose string on her duvet. The perky woman bound through her doors with loud stomps that echoed off of the chamber walls. She looked inquisitively at Regina; her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she awaited the answer to her silently asked question. "I think…I think I'm slipping, and I think I need to get away from here."

Snow's eyes widened at the admission, and she was quick to shake her head in disagreement. "Regina, I won't let you fall. You've got me now, and you won't slip."

"You couldn't possibly know that, Snow!" She shrieked. The sudden outburst startled her step-daughter, who took an offensive step backwards, the back of her legs colliding with the white satin ottoman that occupied the center of the room. She plopped down on her bottom and rested her weight fully on her hands so that she was looking up at Regina. "You can't put your faith in someone like me, Snow." The said admittance elicited a small sigh from the other woman.

"But I'm not putting my faith in someone _like_ you, Regina, don't you see?" Snow asked with a smile. "I'm putting my faith in _you_."

Regina groaned inwardly, but a small smiled graced her lips and reassured the young queen that she was joking. "That was just about the corniest thing I have ever heard, you know that?"

"Well, you know what?" She paused, looking for a suitable answer; she found none and grinned even wider. "Shut up…Now, let's get you out of these…whatever these are." Snow made her way over to Regina and tugged at the sleeve of her shirt. "And into something pretty."

Regina watched as her step daughter bounced on her feet in front of her closet. One of her arms reached in and pulled something from one of the drawers. When she turned around and spotted the woman still on the bed, her eyebrows rose accusingly. "Go get a bath!" She shooed Regina away with her hands, laughing all the while, and lay out the clothes on the bed.

Regina slipped out of the warm water, her skin red from exfoliating, and her damp hair hung down her shoulders in strings. She pulled on the black puffy shirt she found on her bed, but stopped when she reached the leather pants Snow had so slyly laid out for her. They had always been her favorites, and she had always questioned why she never took them to the new world with her. Her legs tugged into them, and with a few hops, she had securely buttoned them around her waist.

The former queen stepped into her riding boots. Decidedly leaving them unlaced, she grabbed the dark green cloak that hung from the coat rack just beside her bedroom door and shrugged it on. Regina's hands combed messily through her now dry, straight hair, pulling it up into a high ponytail that swung down her back and lay messily over her left shoulder. She walked out of the room, a slight skip in her step.

When she reached the top of the stairs that led into the kitchen, she paused upon hearing the hushed voices. Her well trained ears made out the words easily, and she frowned at what she heard.

"What do you think Regina needs now that Henry's away?" The voice obviously belonged to Snow, and the nasally snort that abruptly followed was easily Emma's.

"A man." The comment had both mother and daughter erupting into fits of laughter.

"Yeah, good luck with that one, Emma." Came Regina's dry comment from the doorway. She leaned against the side of the door, arms crossed, and loose boots tapping anxiously at the stone flooring. The two women spun around, frightened at her sudden appearance; a look of shame crossed their faces.

"Huh," Emma hummed upon further inspection of the brunette that causally lounged by the entrance. "I still don't see how her outfits were…scary."

"Oh, this isn't one of them, dear. I can assure you I will never be wearing one of those…things again. Ever." Regina laughed. "So.." She hopped into one of the seats next to Emma and Snow. "What are we doing today?"

"Well," Snow began. "I have to see to the new additions into the Royal Guard around noon."

"New additions?" The former queen raised her eyebrows when her stepdaughter nodded glumly.

"The, uh…the men from your army." Regina sputtered at the sudden news, nearly falling out of her chair.

"How many?" She asked once she had regained her composure.

"All of them." When the slightly longer haired brunette stood quickly from the table and fled the room in the direction of her chambers, Snow and Emma stood to race after her. "Regina!" Snow called. "Regina! Wait!"

The door to her bedroom was slung wide open, enough so that the women could walk straight in without alarming the brunette. She held a nap sack in her hands, a brown, tattered old thing that brought back painful memories of her days in the stables with Daniel. Her arms reached out for pieces of clothing, any rough material that would act as a cloak to an appearance, and when she found it, she quickly shoved it into the small bag. "What are you doing?"

Regina's head snapped up, and she could faintly remember not closing and locking the door. "I'm packing. What does it look like, Snow?" Her tone was clipped and sharp, but it didn't frighten her stepdaughter in the least.

"Where are you going?"

"The bag isn't for me, dear. You and Emma and Charming need to get as far away as possible for the time being. The men are loyal to me, and me alone." She faced Snow with sad eyes, but continued on to answer the unasked question. "They were locked away in my castle by a…spell. It would break once I was back in the Enchanted Forest, and they would all be free. Snow…they have direct orders from me to kill you on sight. You need to leave."

"Why?" Emma asked from beside Snow. She crossed her arms lightly over her chest and leaned forward. She wasn't going to take this…she wasn't going to flee in a moments time of danger. The Charmings had faced far worse. There wasn't anything they couldn't face. However, the blonde seemed to be proven wrong when her mother nodded quickly and began to help Regina pack. "What? No! I'm not going anywhere."

"Emma, sweetheart. You may not think that this isn't a big deal…but you haven't seen her army. If there was one thing Regina had that was better than ours," she started, ignoring the arrogant snort from beside her. "That was smarter, larger, more equipped and overall better, it was her army."

"Actually, it was my intelligence, thank you very much." Regina quipped. Snow smiled as she looked down into the knapsack. There was the woman she knew, there was her stepmother.

"Yeah, sure. That too."

* * *

The house was empty, save for the four royal guards that flanked Regina on either side. The clamoring of their armor shrilled loudly from beside her, and though she hated the noise, she said nothing to assuage it. They led her down to the courtyard, where her army stood in ranks, lined perfectly in straight rows that stretched from one side of the palace grounds to the other. There had to have been thousands of them, she realized, but there were not nearly as many as she had left behind.

Her eyes averted to her right momentarily, and out of her peripherals she saw the empty street where the Charmings' carriage had gone down hours beforehand. She released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as the guards stepped to the side to reveal her. Every man that stood in the crowd immediately bowed, one leg sticking far out behind the other as their arms crossed their abdomens. For a moment, the thrill of power consumed her and a wicked smirk overtook her mouth, but she wiped it away as fast as it had come.

"Welcome," Regina smiled. "It has been far too long, and…as I can see, you have lost many men. Is that right?" She addressed the front-man, who stood ahead of the lines of guards. He nodded once.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Her once cold eyes scanned over each man, but she was only disappointed by the one she did not see. "Where is Gavin?"

The higher ranking officer bowed his head. "We do not know." Regina's eyes widened in pain. She was tempted to ask if he had perished, but her gut told her that he was very much alive.

"Yes…well. The orders to kill the Charmings have been dismissed." She paused as she waited for the chorus of arguments to settle. "Things," she yelled. "Have changed. Do I make myself clear?"

"But, Your Majesty!" Came an unknown voice from the crowd of men. "You have been trying to kill her for years! Why the sudden change?"

"That's my business. There shall be no…incidents. Do. I. Make myself clear?" At the nod of the officer directly in front of her she smiled. "Thank you, Darren."

The four guards stepped in front of her again, leading her back to the meeting room. She thanked them, turned abruptly on her heels, and stormed back to her chambers. Regina took the seat in front of the vanity; her eyes looked over her stress riddled face keenly before she turned around.

"Well, if it isn't Her Majesty." Regina's heart nearly pounded through her chest. She knew that voice…she would know it anywhere, and the mere thought of having to hear it again sickened her to her core.

"Sidney. I see you haven't changed at all."

**So…The genies back in the mirror. Where he belongs:) SO…who do you think Gavin is? Hm? Leave suggestions. I'm dyin hear. Thank you to the guest who reviewed and left that wonderful suggestion. P.S: I hope you like the name. Hahaha. And I do hope that this chapter is at least a LITTLE longer than the rest:) Oh, and again to the guest…I hope that scenario you left was to your liking:))))**


	10. A Moment's Grace

**Things with my family have been very difficult, and then on top of that….I dislocated my right shoulder on Friday. So, while I am on my pain meds and unable to do anything else, I thought that I might AT LEAST update something. Haha so here it goes….hopefully. And to the guest who recently reviewed…or not so recently reviewed….Gavin doesn't look like a bird, and he won't be appearing for a long while. Promise. I am so very sorry for the long wait. I feel like crap for not updating. Like…literal crap. So I will try to update more frequently starting today, but since thing are going pretty rough for me right now, I don't know how long it will be until I have more frequent and scheduled updates. All I ask is for y'alls continued support and for you to just stick with me here. I'm really trying.**

** This chapter takes place like….a year later.**

Horrible people will call crudeness upon even the kindest of souls, until they are blackened like the smoke from a hungry and burning fire. It will eat them up inside, though no symptoms of the life they try to escape show on their dexterous features. It is seemingly impossible to tell evil from good, black from white, and right from wrong when shades of grey infiltrate through the thoughts of the person's mind. Right becomes wrong, black becomes white, good becomes the evil. The lie becomes the truth.

It dawned on her, in the early morning, that that was exactly what her life had come down to: trying to differentiate between the hidden hoaxes and the indifferent truth, when in reality, it was impossible. The lies that shot from the fortuitous mouth of the world had consumed her until she had been left to believe that what she wanted was worthy of the justice that denied her comfort and solace.

But there had been one person who had straightened her out and kept her moving along the trail of sanity laid before her. When she would teeter, the balance of her mind of falter and her path would begin to wobble, but he had always reached out a hand to steady her. Time and time again that man had been her savior. There was a light at the end of the long tunnel that promised her things she never thought possible without him, and as quickly as he had been there to pull her from the darkness that was herself….he vanished.

He wasn't there when she returned, and she doubted he would be there ever again, though a sliver of hope did remain amongst the chaos surrounding her.

Snow had returned after three long and treacherous days, accompanied by David and Emma no less. The loneliness had left…somewhat; replaced by a feeling that was all too foreign for Regina to comprehend. It could have been love, but she hadn't ever really known what that had felt like. Not until Henry, and even then it was unreturned for the most part of the time she had spent with him. The feeling was somewhat overbearing; in a good way. It suffocated her heart with warmth, invaded her dreams, and every night, when the dinner was laid out before the family, and they joined hands in a moment of silence, she could feel it there too.

Of course, Regina was far from redemption, but it seemed as though she was getting a small step closer each passing day. She and Jefferson spoke more amongst each other, to the point where she could actually look upon the man and consider him a close friend and ally in her war against her inner turmoil. There was still slight hesitation on her part, but the hatter had welcomed her offer with full and open arms.

For once in her life, Regina was starting to feel…accepted. It was something that had never happened before: not with her mother, not with Leopold, not with Rumple…not even with herself. To say it was nice was an understatement.

She could walk the kingdom freely without fear of an angry, vengeful townsperson slitting her throat and watching her maroon colored blood spill out onto the dirty ground with satisfaction. However, she was still sure that there were some people who wouldn't hesitate to do so if their paths crossed: people like George. Regina hadn't heard much of him since the incident at Henry's wedding, and she supposed it was because he feared her, or he was planning something. Either way, she was enjoying the time she spent regaining her foothold on the rocky mountain of life, and when the time came that he would strike, she wouldn't let go. That she was sure of.

Magic hadn't been an issue. Along with the coma came the surprisingly eager tolerance for withdraw, and it had only taken a few days to get right back on track. She had thought about using it, sure, but the willpower to restrain was greater with Henry by her side.

"Mom." Regina faintly heard through her clouded mind. "Mom." She looked over from her spot on Rhiannon at Henry with a wistful gaze. He eyed her warily with a lopsided grin that only managed to make Regina laugh.

"Yes?" She responded slowly, dragging out the word until it became mockingly so. She clicked her heels into the horse's sides, and the mare sped off down the grassy, green hill on the outside of a small village.

"What were you thinking about?" Henry pondered aloud after finally catching up to her. She still wore that gaze, and having never seen it before, the man was unsure if it was good or bad.

"Life." Regina laughed before bringing her horse to an abrupt stop in front of the newly decorated castle gates. She craned her neck slightly to catch a glimpse of her son, who was raising an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "My much better life."

The gates opened with a loud creak, and the rust from the hinges flaked off in small red sheets. Guards, clad in royal blue and white, waved them in with cheerful smiles and deep bows to which Regina blushed furiously and Henry dismissed almost immediately. It became known to his mother that he hated the affections of the townspeople; he just wanted to be treated normal, like she had when she was young and in love.

"You hungry?" Henry called over his right shoulder, the left having hung a large cape. At Regina's eager nod, he stuck out his forearm, allowing her to take hold of it, and led her into the castle kitchens.

They sat in silence for the most part of their late afternoon lunch. It wasn't awkward, just quiet and filled with the feeling she was trying so hard to familiarize herself with. Eventually, Henry excused himself and exited the table, his brown, leather riding boots clunking up the stairs with every messy step he took. Until his stomps no longer echoed in the stairwell corridor, Regina watched the door.

"You raised a good man, Y'er Majesty." She turned to face the guard who had addressed her.

"Yes, I suppose I did, Darren." The man, only a foot taller than she, clomped down in the seat across from her with a toothy grin that had always alerted her to mischief. He chuckled at her knowing expression and reached for the flask that was hidden in the underside of his garnet. With gleaming eyes, he twisted the cap off silently and raised it to his cracked lips. The liquor sloshed around from within, and after he swallowed, he passed the pungent canteen to Regina. She beamed at the offer, taking the drink from her old friend eagerly before chugging what was left. With a sigh, she set the metal bottle on the table top and leaned back in her chair. "Any news on Gavin?"

"No." Darren frowned. His brown hair fell in front of his face, and he reached up with a large hand to remove it from his blue eyes. "Seems he's disappeared."

The smile that had been tugging at Regina's lips fell, along with her morale. The small sliver of hope she had been holding onto was beginning to slowly slip through her fingers. The man in front of her, noticing her change in demeanor, stood abruptly. Had she not been so preoccupied, she would have noticed that he had pulled her up with him, but as his large arms wrapped around her small frame, she allowed herself a moments grace to let go and relinquish her worried. Even if it was only for a moment.


End file.
